Printing-type-composing apparatus



l Apr. l0, 1923.

A. LU BAC PRINTING TYPE COMPOSING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1921 HALSQQG@5 sheets-sheet l Apr. l0, 1923. HASGLQCSS@ A. L UBAC PRINTING TYPEcoMPosING APPARATUS Flled July 26, 1921 5 sheets-met 2 n u` EN @We e N gm\\\\\\\ \N W Apr.1o,1923.

A. LUBAC PRINTING TYPE COMPYOSING APPARATUS Filed July 2-, 1921` 3sheets-*sheet Patented Apr. l0, i923.

heldd@ ALFRED LUBAC, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

PRINTING'YPE-COMPOSING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 26,

To @ZZ whom it' may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED LUBAC, a citi-Zen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Paris, France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating toPrinting-Type-Composing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention has for its object a printing type composing orassembling apparatus in which the type is set up in lines by setting upmachines or by the distributlng apparatus.

Assembly of the type most frequently used is effected by means of akeyboard. The types which are seldom used are released by means of apush button comprising a small rod terminating in a small toothed discof steel. If so desired these types may be released by the fingers.

The type boxes are arranged in radial lines. l/Vhen the types are inplace they are unsupported at their ends and on account of their weightthey are directed towards a collecting'channel. In falling into the saidchannel the latterV directs them in proper position. From the channelthey debouche into the composing or assembling space from which they arepushed one after the other by a push lever actuated by to-and-fromovement by means of a cam wheel and a retracting spring.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is madeto the accompanying drawings which show by way of example a constructionand arrangement in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. l is a plan view of an apparatus which during working is mounted ona base piece in such manner as to have an incline of 450.

Figure 2, drawn to an enlarged scale, is a section on the line A--AFigure l, showing the level of the collector which forms a continuationfor the slide or chute of the rst platform. In this view is also shownthe level of the composing platform and the mouth of the slide or chuteof the second platform.

` Figure 3, drawn to an enlarged scale, is a section on the line B-BFigure' l, shown ing the level of the slide or chute for the spaces(which is the same as that for the collector) and the level of thecomposing or assembling platform.

Figure 4, drawn to an enlarged scale, is

1921. Serial No. 487,601.

a section on the line Ch() Figure l, showing the letter type pusherwhich limits the recoil of the pusher and the platform at its marginaledge.

Figure 5 is a section on the line D-D Figure l, showing a section ofpart of the three platforms represented in Figure l and in marginal sideview to the left of the slides or chutes, the mouths of the slides orchutes being represented bydotted lines.

Fig. 6 is an elevation from the right hand side of four push buttonsshowing their pivoted connections and the mounting of two release leverson the armature and of a wing. rIhis view also shows a section of thetwo perforated plates.

Figure 7' is a front elevation of a push button and its articulatedmounting.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of a win carrying the two shafts with theblocks, the levers carrying the arms with their feet, the claws and thebevelled portions. This view also shows a section on the line E-E of thefirst platforms and an elevation of the 'marginal edges and the slotsfor the passage of the type.

Figure 8f shows a modified form of part of Figure 8. In this ligure theblocks which actuate the levers so as to balance the push buttons areshown as being replaced by coiled springs.

Figure 9 is a plan showing a radius of the first platform and a radiusof the second platform with the corresponding arms. The claws are shownin engagement with the type.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of a foot.

Figure li shows a plan and elevation of a spacing block.

Figure l2, drawn to an enlarged scale, shows a partial plan of thekeyboard.

Figure 13 is a section on the line F-F Figure l showing the passagealong which the letters pass into proper position in the line.

The type magazine is formed by a suitable number of superposed metalplatforms or plates of decreasing area having the form of a truncatedright angled triangle one side of which adjacent the right angle isarranged at the top, the hypothenuse of the triangle being arranged atthe right hand side. The top platform is quite open; the others havethree projecting sides.

Each platform is divided into regions by llO horizontal bars or stripsof square section. To each region is allotted a letter or a sign.

At the hypothenuse side, each platform is provided with a marginal stripc which passes under the bars below which is a space Z (Figure 8)sufficient to allow 0f the passage of the type.

The open part of each platform sidewise of the marginal strip forms aslide or chute on which the type arranged level thereon can slide inorder to pass to a collector' e. In passing to the collector e the typeare swung about a corner from standing on edge to lying on the side andslide under the bars b and a type directed and guided through thepassage or guideway f fall into correct position in the assembled lineof type between the pusher g and the adjacent type or spacing block.

The type pusher g is actuated by a to-andfro movement by means of a camwheel g actuated by a belt or cord passing round a groove in a. pulleyg2 and by a retracting spring g3 secured at one end at g to the pusherand at the other end at g5 to a lower piece ge which acts as a guide andlimits the recoil.

By reason of the oblique position of the slides or chutes each row oftype letters is inside those which are above and the saine row projectsover these which are below, in such manner that the types of all theregions when they are in situ or on place can pass by their slide orchute without encountering any obstacle.

Tn order to pass to the collector, the type from the platform which areabove the first platform follow first of all the marginal strip c intheir sliding movement, then, when they reach the end of this theystrike against a strip 7i which causes them to change their direction ofmovement and the part z' forming anextension of the slide or chutedirects the type toward the collector and thence through the passage fin position in the line of type to be assembled.

Thetwo first platforms are the bottoni platforms. They contain the typemost generally in use which forms approximately per cent of the usualprinted mattei'.

The other platforms contain type which are more or less seldom usedThere is therefore very little, if any, use in assembling these typemechanically in view of the facility with which they can be positionedby hand in a chase. The number of platforms which is indefinite could bereduced in prac-n tice to 4, 3, or even to two only.

The keyboard is applied only to the first two platforms. Tt is providedwith four rows of keys. The first and third rows of keys correspond tothe second platform and the second and fourth rows of keys correspond tothe first platform.

To the right of the aforesaid keyboard is arranged a second keyboardwhich has only two rows of keys. This keyboard is hereinafter referredto as the justifying keyboard which is usual in a magazine. The blocksfor justifying have their special collector. These spacing blocks arenecessary when the apuaratus is combined with a justifying machine ofthe type described in my French atent No. 521,182, dated 26th July*1920.

if the apparatus' is not combined with a justifying machine, the spacingmagazine is useless and justification is effected by hand as in themajority of movable type assembly or setting up machines as present inuse.

The means for releasing a type as shown in the drawings comprises a keyy' carried by a rod which passes through a hole in a plate Z which actsas a guide and a stop for the key. The rod is screwed into a socket mhaving a flat portion adapted to enbetween the jaws of a forked lever ,nto which the socket m is pivotally connected. The lever n is secured ona shaft o having at its end a counterweight p or a spring p tol balanceor to maintain the key in its up position The block carries a lever gthe upper end of which is articulated to an arm fr which entends to therow of type in the magazine. Towards the end the arm i carries a block shaving a quoin or wedge s (Figure 9) which engages in the space CZ orslot which quoin or wedge s yields to allow of the passage of the type.To the rear of the block the arm r carries a claw s2 and the armbevelled at its end.

The weight of the blocks or the tension of the spring (Figure Sa) actsto cause the releasing means to push the arm toward the row of type.`When the bevelled end of the arm reaches the row of type the block s israised and the claw stops at the first type against which the clawrests.

if now the key be operated, the 'block s is withdrawn from the type atthe same time as the claw swings the type which served as a apport. Thetype then slides under the har h which held it and the type is d'iectedtowards the collector c. When the key is released the claw comes to bearon the suc ceeding type.

,e keyboard with the releasing means is carried by an angle bracket tsecured i* the first platform. All the shafts o are supported at theirfront ends by angle brackets such as t their other ends being supportedEach angle bracket serves as in a frame t. a support for the ends of twoshafts which are superposed. The upper shaft carries the correspondingparts for the second platform. its position is determined by a ring` t',disposed inside the frame t and by the block p which is arranged insidethe angle bracket. The lower shaft carries the corresponding parts forthe first platform. The position of the lower shaft is determined b vlift) iZL) a ring a which is placed inside the frame t and by the blockp situated to the rear of the angle bracket.

In order that the justifying blocks may offer a resistance to the thrustof the blocks, blocks or wedges v are employed which serve as supports.rlhese blocks are each provided on the lower face with a stud c adaptedto engage in a hole c2 in one or other of a number of holes in theregional platform.

When the types in front of the slots in any of the rows are exhausted,the remaining types are pushed forward so as to begin again. rlhe blockss recoil under the thrust but they must not touch the marginal strip ofthe slide or chute. There ought to be sufcient space to permit of thepassage of the type which are above and also in order that they canrecoil when the corresponding key is operated.

ln order to stop the blocks at any suitable distance from the marginaledge of the chute or slide, a plate Z is provided having holes which actto guide the rods carrying the keys, a further plate Z having holes oflarger diameter is also provided the holes in the plate Z beingconcentric with the holes in the plate Z. l/Vhen assembling the holesare concentric so that the basesof the keys when depressed can descendto the plate Z and the blocks can recoil to the marginal edge of theslides or chutes. But, when it is desired to push the type the plate Zis slid so that the holes of a larger diameter are tangential interiorlywith the small rods so as to prevent the base of the keys from reachingthe plate Z and stop-blocks before they touch the edges of the slides orchutes.

The two plates provided with holes are only shown in Figures l and l2.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare thatwhat I claim is:

l. Printing type assembly or composing apparatus characterized by typemagazine comprising two superposed platforms inclined at 450 andsupported on a base, the said platforms being divided by horizontal barsso as to form spaces for the type the bottom of the type being supportedon the horizontal bars so that the types are ready to hand, the saidbars being provided with a space adjacent the slides or chutes whichlead to a collector', a space or slot sufficient to allow of the passageof the flat type on their release by mechanism, actuated by keys from akeyboard or by hand.

2. Printing type assembly or composing apparatus having justifyingspaces juxtaposed adjacent the type magazine and formed by a singleplatform divided into spaces by horizontal bars which act to support thebottoms of the spacing blocks so that the latter are ready to hand, therows of spacing blocks being supported on blocks movable in the spacesin order to resist the action of the releasing mechanism which is usedto effect position of the spacing blocks under the action of keys on akeyboard so that the said spacing blocks can slide in the spaces orslots below the horizontal bars, then thereafter fall into a specialcollector.

3. Printing type assembly or composingl apparatus comprising a releasingmechanism and a keyboard provided with keys connected to shafts whichactuate levers articulated.

to arms projecting to the rows of type contained in a type magazine, thesaid arms carrying claws and having bevelled lifting ends andstop-blocks, the claws always resting under the action of a spring onthe first type of a row in the magazine and by the action of a keycausing the said type to be held in position between the claws and thestop-block so that the type can be rotated into position to enable it todescend into the line in which the type is to be assembled.

4L. In printing type setting apparatus, a magazine, a collector having achannel formed by the slide of the magazine, with an inclined plane andribs which cause the type to pass through a channel in which they falland in which they are straightened out before being inserted between theletter pusher and the line to be composed.

5. Printing type assembly or composing apparatus in accordance withclaim l having a type pusher actuated in a to-and-fro movement by meansof a cam wheel driven by a belt, cord or equivalent and a retractingspring fixed at one end to the pusher and at the other end to anintermediate piece so as to limit the recoil.

ln witness whereof l afliX my signature.

ALFRED LUBAC.

